1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an azeotropic mixture consisting essentially of hydrogen fluoride (hereinafter, referred to as "HF") and dichloromethane (hereinafter, referred to as "R-30"), an azeotropic mixture consisting essentially of HF and chlorofluoromethane (hereinafter, referred to as "R-31") and an azeotropic mixture consisting essentially of HF and difluoromethane (hereinafter, referred to as "R-32"), and a process for the removal of HF from a mixture comprising HF and R-30, R-31 and/or R-32.
R-32 is focused on as a substitute cooling medium of chlorodifluoromethane, and R-30 and R-31 are starting materials for the production of R-32.
2. Description of the Related Art
R-30, R-31 and/or R-32 are conventionally produced by reacting a chlorinated hydrocarbon such as R-30 with HF. Hitherto, a process has been employed in which HF is removed by washing the mixture produced by the reaction and unreacted materials comprising HF, R-30, R-31 and R-32 with an aqueous phase. This process is not so effective because an large amount of an alkali is required to neutralize the washing aqueous solution, and also because a waste from the neutralization has to be treated.